60 posts categorized "Writing tips"

June 10, 2014

I'm usually doing something else, like walking or writing or running around or researching something. And then there is a book in front of me, in my gaze, while I am in the midst of doing something else intensely.

My gaze will stop at a book among a sea of books: on shelves, in piles, at the top of a stack, in a bookstore window (both brick-and-mortar and virtual).

When a book stands out to me at these unexpected moments, I will usually pick up the book. If I hesitate and I still feel the book's pull, I will definitely pick it up, if I can (much easier to do with a book on a metal shelf than one on a computer screen).

Often these books are ones that I know, and I'll leaf through them looking for a word or phrase that catches my eye. Sometimes I'll reread a favorite passage or find new meaning in one that I hadn't really understood in that way on the prior pass.

This time, a book new to me stood out. I saw it on a library shelf, and I checked it out. Then its return date arrived, and I had to return it. Then I bought my own copy, and I keep reading it. It is full of questions that have no simple answers. Many of the questions are phrased in ways I never thought of. The pages are rich with collaged snippets of words and images, of colored drawings, paintings, pen-and-ink sketches, all combined on the same page.

I don't want to say any more about it because I don't want to spoil any of the mystery and surprise in the book, in case it finds you, too, and you feel compelled to pick it up.

However, I think I can feature a few of my favorite questions without giving too much away:

1. What is an idea made of? (p. 4)

2. (What) Where is a story before it becomes words? (p. 44)

3. Why do some images come back again and again? (p. 96)

These questions, and the time I am spending with this book, are triggering so many interesting ideas and thoughts. (I just discovered there is an "adjustable activity book" in the back. This has been very fruitful book serendipity.)

April 12, 2013

As I work on my school- and work-related projects, I keep a notebook nearby. Sometimes I pause to write down an idea, brainstorm a bit, or sketch something I am trying to figure out or would like to design more completely at a later time. I have notebooks full of these "interruptions," some of which have turned into constructive outcomes: groups that form for creative community and support, an idea to discuss with someone, blog posts, and inspiration for future work.

I used to be annoyed that these interruptions appeared while I was working with intense focus on projects with deadlines. If they were evidence of procrastination, however, I still completed my work on time. If they were a work-stress release, they often resulted in making more work for me at a later time, and I didn't feel stressed about this future work; these interruptions looked fun to work on, and when I returned to re-read them, they inspired me. Some were even related to my current projects in varying ways. Others weren't related at all but still caught my conscious attention.

Hische says, “Whatever work you do when you are procrastinating from other things is probably what you should be doing for the rest of your life.” What do you think? How does this apply to how you work and your creative interests?

When we speak of creative work as purposeful, we have in mind a conception of work as complex human activity organized to achieve specific ends. . . . To describe the pattern of work in the life of a creative individual we have adopted the organizing concept of a “network of enterprise.” We use the term enterprise to stand for a group of related projects and activities. (p. 11)

In the article "Constructive Repetition, Time, and the Evolving Systems Approach," psychology professor Richard Brower, commenting on Gruber's theory, further explains that:

The interconnection of multiple enterprises served at least three important functions for the creative process. First, it allows the person to continue working over time, even though blind alleys are encountered and projects are shelved. Second, it allows for the reorganization of purpose, affect, and knowledge. Third, it allows for increased opportunities for novelty and the potential for the amplification and elaboration of innovative discoveries. (2003, p. 63)

Seemingly random side project ideas and creative procrastination can be full of possibilities. Listen to and record them when they appear, and return to them later to see where they next take you in your creative process.

August 28, 2008

Learning to write well is a continual process. When readers ask me about how to become a better writer, I always say, "First, write every day." And I mean it. With writing, the only way to get better at it is to keep at it. Writing doesn't improve just by thinking about it.

Then I give this advice: "When you write, don't worry about misspellings and grammatical errors. That's what editors are for." Writing and editing are completely different skills. Great writers often make spelling and grammar errors, and great editors and/or proofreaders are often better at catching mistakes than creating compelling stories.

When writing for our jobs, however, we must often be both writer and editor extraordinaire. Also, if you are a blogger and don't have anyone else to review your work before you post, then occasionally reviewing lists like these from TechRepublic Senior Editor Jody Gilbert can help you catch your own errors:

August 02, 2008

Matinée Muse, now in its third week, is a blog that presents two weekly creativity prompts based on movie themes. You can participate in this online community by following three steps:

Use the Matinée Muse prompts to inspire your creativity. (You don't have to write about the movie, though you may.)

Write a poem or a short story, or create some artwork or take a photograph—related to one of the prompts.

After you have created your work, post it to your site, and add that post's link to the comments of the Matinée Muse post.

Other MM members will visit your post and comment on your work. If you haven't participated in an online-prompt community before, introduce yourself by commenting on other's posts; many (if not all) of the bloggers you visit will click through to see your work in return.

Participating in online-prompt communities can have many benefits:

-- If you create every week consistently, you get regular practice in your art form and, thus, get better at it.

-- You build a body of work over time. (A year of doing the weekly prompts = 52 new works! What a vibrant, current portfolio that would be.)

-- Seeing other takes on the same prompt expands and challenges your interpretation of the prompt. I consider this healthy artistic and intellectual brain exercise.

-- If you're suffering from a writing or art-making block, switching creative gears for a moment and approaching a prompt with lightness and fun can keep you creating. Keeping creative energy flowing builds your momentum and staves off long creative dry spells which can deplete artistic energy.

-- Regularly commenting on other bloggers' works creates an online creative community and network.

One extra bonus for movie lovers: MM features movie poster images and links to more information about all films mentioned. One of this week's prompts is based on the classic whose poster is shown above.

For those of you who enjoyed Cass's video also, I've got good news: he has created an online community. Its goal: to make creative people more effective and successful at their creative lives and careers. It is called, appropriately, "Dennis Cass Wants You To Be More Awesome."

DCWYTBMA is a site full of "advice, jokes and tough love for people who want to make a living making culture." Dennis regularly answers members' questions, providing sound advice on a variety of relevant topics. The community is active, full of creatives commenting with additional viewpoints and examples. Plus, he features an "Awesomizer" to help improve creative endeavors; it has made me look at some pop culture mainstays with a fresh perspective.

I strongly believe that participating in writing/creative groups (even online!) can help their participants grow in their work, get unstuck when creative blocks arise, and provide camaraderie and support when the creative road is nothing but potholes and speed traps. (If you have done anything creative ever in your life, then you know the ride can get bumpy...)

While reading Cass's articles and answers, I have laughed out loud many times. Knowledgeable creative-career guidance + original insights + active community + humor = WIN! And if you sign up, I'll see you there.

July 10, 2008

If you're reading this post, you spend some time online. And if you've spent any time online over the past week, you have probably seen the following massively played video.

While I've enjoyed Dancing Matt Harding's joyful, international dance-travel just because it's magical, I've discovered another compelling reason why he is a revolutionary of inspiration. One of today's posts on the Well blog from the New York Times mentions studies which tie dancing to increased brain functioning and healing. An excerpt:

...A telling 2003 New England Journal of Medicine report
showed a lower risk for dementia among people over 75 who regularly
danced during leisure time. But what was so surprising about the report
is that other types of physical exercise didn’t affect dementia risk —
dancing was the only physical activity that made a difference.

Other studies have shown music plays an important role in depression. Dance therapy has been used to relieve anxiety about taking tests, and researchers are studying the tango to help patients with Parkinson’s. Dance therapy has been shown to improve the quality of life for breast cancer patients as well...

June 27, 2008

As a current editor and former grammar teacher, I was stopped in my Web-surfing tracks by this:

Know the rules, and the rules will make you free.

The most typically inspiring words to writers focus on growing wings, dreaming big and believing hard enough. This grounding, practical advice stresses working within confines and structure first; the wings follow.

Rules abound in writing—enough for everyone to follow some and ignore others.

June 19, 2008

...Journaling is not an act of record-keeping for me, although that is
a side benefit. I do it because it is an exercise in self-reflection,
and the tech-free process of writing by hand – much slower and more
deliberate than entering text on a keyboard – is the perfect
preparation for climbing inside myself.

Not only does it force me to think before I lay words indelibly down
on paper, it also frees me from the distractions that come with the
territory of digital writing tools like computers and PDAs. I don’t
have to turn on my paper notebook and wait for it to boot up. It never
freezes or crashes...

I hadn't thought of journaling as an antidote to being over-connected in the Digital Age, but Osborne makes a solid case. Whether you are a writer, creative, or knowledge worker, I recommend reading his complete post; in it, you may find your own path to clarity, organization and insight.

On a side note: I searched for "journal" on Flickr Creative Commons, and 36,397journal-related images appeared. Amongst these are the odd Wall Street Journal photo, but most are well-loved journals full of travels, musings, sketches, found objects — personal records of the maps of our lives in progress. Very enjoyable to look over.

June 06, 2008

The weekend approaches. Wondering what to do? Spend some quality Internet time with these writing-related links:

1. "Creative Instinct Is Like Fire." The complete text reads:

Controlled fire gives heat, light, and power which runs the factory machinery or the railway train/Uncontrolled, it is the cause of untold loss and human suffering/Are you using or wasting your creative powers?/Humanity needs your energy wisely directed

2. We bloggers must keep a sense of humor about ourselves. I laughed when I saw the t-shirt which stated quite bluntly, "No one cares about your blog!" I laughed even harder when I saw this t-shirt: "A new theory of the Internet". Obnoxious t-shirts (featuring monkeys using typewriters) won't hold me back — I will continue to blog, undaunted.

May 29, 2008

Many tech tools available online can help writers and editors hone their skills. Twitter is an accidental one. Originally designed as a social network, this microblogging platform helps writers practice precise expression because it restricts wordy output to 140 characters or less per "tweet" (a Twitter message, and this includes spaces and punctuation).

Hello and welcome!

My name is Kristin Gorski. I recently earned my doctorate (EdD) in instructional technology and media. My research focuses on technology and literacies, writing in digital spaces, and how media literacy may support academic literacy (among other incredibly interesting topics). On occasion, I’m also a freelance writer and editor. “Write now is good.” is my personal blog about writing, creativity and inspiration (with healthy doses of technology in relevant places). I started it in blogging's heyday (2006) and still post to it, time permitting. If you'd like to collaborate on a project, have writing/technology/creativity info to share, or want to say, "Hi," contact me at kgwritenow (at) yahoo dot com.
To read more about me, click on the "ABOUT" link below.